The Red String of Fate
by Armageddon Angel
Summary: You don't only belong to yourself, you know? Everyone has connections to someone else and shares something with them through these. That is why you can never be free. Everybody relates to others and shares something with them. That's why we can never truly be free. That's what makes us feel joy, sadness and love. Submissions for Gruvia Week 2018
1. Chapter 1

Hello boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

It's been so long since I've written anything. But there was something inside of me saying that I should write something for Gruvia Week 2018. So of course I had to take part in it. These one shots aren't going to be anything too taxing. It'll be around a thousand words each. If I'm getting back into writing, I need to take it slow. Hopefully this will be the start of a return to form. In any case, enjoy.

* * *

 **Promise**

The city of Magnolia looked peaceful at night, Gray thought to himself as he overlooked it and taking another bite out of his late-night meal. It was too quiet for his tastes, but then again, how many people really want to stay in a town that will soon be an active war zone. The Alvaraz Empire would soon invade this town, his town, he mustn't forget. The city, in its wisdom, ordered a full evacuation of its citizens. For the time being, they would be sent in makeshift camps near the capital where the royal army would protect them. That way, Fairy Tail could go all out without having to worry about civilians being hurt.

Gray noted that some of the buildings still had lights on even though there was no one there. A feeling of dread started to creep up on him. This was going to be the toughest fight in his life, he already knew. Gramps hadn't sugarcoated it either. The possibility was there that some of them might die. The thought was terrifying on one hand. After all, he had never considered that he would die before he was old and wrinkled, with his teeth falling out. On the other hand, there was a certain level of peace that came with death. As much as he would miss his friends, there was something appealing to being reunited with the people he loved: his mom, whose face he couldn't remember even to this day, his father, the man who made him feel conflicted, and Ur, his beloved teacher. Don't get me wrong. It's not like he wanted to die. Just saying that there was something to look forward to if that became a possibility.

A feeling came to him, like the lapping of the ocean on one's bare skin. He slowly smirked. He knew exactly who was causing this feeling. She was a constant presence in his life ever since the first time they met. Her feelings were almost infuriatingly overwhelming. She had endured similar pain to what he had and yet her heart is like an open book while he closed himself off. He only wanted to be her friend, someone he would say hello to whenever they saw each other in the guild, maybe trade stories of their mission. But she wanted to be so much more. He couldn't imagine all of the scenarios that went through her head; in fact, he almost didn't want to. He didn't indulge her feelings. But it seems as though every interaction was a gift to her. He rejected her once. But she kept pursuing him.

His interaction with her is like that story the Master once told him about the hedgehog's dilemma. Hedgehogs wish to seek others for warmth. However, their quills make it impossible to do that without hurting each other. So the hedgehog has a choice: loneliness and cold or pain and warmth. For a long time, Gray kept his friends at a comfortable distance, close enough that he could feel their warmth but far away enough that if something ever happened to them, it wouldn't hurt as much. But she wasn't like that. She was the steady drip of water around the block of ice in his heart. Once he wanted nothing more than to be her friend. Now...

"Gray-sama" Her voice finally reached out to him, as if she were afraid of ruining his peace with her presence. How far away from the truth that was now.

"Juvia" He replied, taking a big bite of his handheld meal. Suddenly, the pangs of hunger were less pronounced. He offered the rest of his food to Juvia. "Want the rest." He didn't wait for an answer. He put the food in her hands.

She began to stammer about his lips being on the food. It would have been amusing to watch her contemplate whether or not she should eat what she was given. However, he went back to watching the town.

This was his home. This was his friends' home. This was Juvia's home. The buildings themselves were nothing. It was what was inside his heart that mattered, the bonds and memories they made.

"I'm grateful to you." He said still overlooking the town while he spoke to her, missing the heated blush on her face. "You are always by my side."

And that's when it hit him. Gray knew what he wanted…or rather, who he wanted by his side. Juvia was a force of nature that cannot be ignored. And you know what. He was tired of trying, tired of closing himself up so he didn't feel pain. He wanted to be more like her. No. That wasn't it. He wanted to be with her. He wanted more than just surviving. He wanted to live with the warmth, even if it could cause him pain. Because it was worth it. She was worth it.

"When the battle's over, you'll have your answer." He said, stealing a quick glance at the woman who was by his side, the one person who has always been by his side. "So let me focus on the fight ahead, okay?"

"Juvia will." She replied, perhaps stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Gray knew what he had just done. He had made Juvia a promise. And the weight of such a promise couldn't be taken lightly. He now had to keep it. It wasn't time for him to be reunited with his mother, father, and teacher. After this fight, it would be time to explore the possibility of a relationship with Juvia.

* * *

And that's the end of that chapter. So, thoughts? Liked it? Hated it? Have no opinions one one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	2. Chapter 2

Hello boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

So this is part two of my Gruvia Week fanfic. I am absurdly grateful for all the support you have given me on both this site and Tumblr. Did you know I have a Tumblr account? It's a semi-regularly update thing that I've been experimenting with. So if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them on Tumblr.

And now, here's another quick take. Enjoy.

* * *

 **Misunderstanding**

Gray knew that a relationship with Juvia would be tiring at times. She was the ocean. The ocean can pull you in and overwhelm you. And yet, there aren't places more soothing than the ocean at calm. The waters can caress your skin. The sounds can be calming. It was the perfect analogy for his girlfriend. Said girlfriend was sitting at the end of Fairy Tail's bar, staring into a mug of warm beer that has been sitting there for hours. He was sitting next to her, a deafening silence about them. Thankfully, everyone has left just in case this got ugly.

Currently, she's in a mood that bordered between anger and depression. Also, she wasn't talking to him. That was probably for the best. If either one of them spoke, it could devolve into a shouting match and he wasn't sure if that was the best play. Gray closed his eyes, making sure that he didn't sigh just in case that would set her off. He thought about what brought about this sullenness.

He had been drinking with some of the guys late last night. The liquor made everyone's tongues loose. Soon, they had been talking about girls.

"Mah, mah, that Lucy." Max sighed after taking a deep chug of his beer. "Did you see what she was wearing today?"

"That top." Macao giggled perversely. "Really accentuated her fantastic breasts." He emphasized by making a grabbing motion with his hands.

"That top was great." Wakaba took a deep breath with his cigar in his mouth and then exhaled. "But did you see those shorts of hers? It really took my breath away."

Gray shook his head at their gross perversity. He wasn't blind. Lucy was a cute girl. And her clothes _do_ a lot to show off her incredible body. However, in his humble opinion, the blonde had nothing on Juvia.

"That Natsu." Max grumbled. "A guy like that could never appreciate her true beauty."

The ice mage snorted. He had to admit to himself that Natsu and Lucy were strangely close despite the fact that they weren't in a relationship. Or were they? Was Natsu capable of carrying on a clandestine relationship? He and Juvia weren't advertising the fact that they were dating so was it possible that the idiot flamer and Lucy were doing the same? Doubtful. He would be bragging like an idiot because he is one.

"I hear that they sleep together." Wakaba huffed out a cloud of smoke. "Lucky dog."

"Lucy is totally out of his league." Macao laughed. "But damn, she puts all of my past girlfriends to shame. She's truly girlfriend material."

"Girlfriend material?" Max asked.

"You see, Levy is the nerdy, best friend type." Macao explained. "Cana is your drinking buddy. Erza is the woman you want having your back in a fight. Juvia is the kind of woman who will baby you. And Mira is forbidden fruit, the woman who's way out of your league. But Lucy, Lucy's is definitely girlfriend material."

The other two guys nodded while Gray just took another swig of beer.

"You've been really quiet, Gray." Max nudged the ice mage with his elbow. "Are you thinking about Lucy?"

Gray snorted.

"You're so lucky to be on her team." Macao sighed almost dramatically.

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged in a non-committal manner.

"So you agree." Wakaba nudged. "That Lucy is girlfriend material."

"Yeah, sure." He agreed. He saw no reason to lie. Lucy is objectively cute.

The sound of heavy rain outside smashed him back to sobriety. Almost immediately, he knew that this was no ordinary rain. Juvia was sad. He turned around and saw his girlfriend looking at him like a wounded puppy. He knew that she heard him. And as quickly as they had locked eyes, she took off like a shot. Gray grunted and left the guys confused as he ran after her. The ice mage didn't reach her in time because as soon as he exited the guild, Juvia was nowhere to be found.

Gray had two options. He could go to the Fairy Hills and try to fix this situation. However, that would invite the girls to be nosy about their business. And that would be before Erza kicked his ass for being in the girl's dormitory in the first place. So his next best option was to give her some space and time to cool down. The more he thought about it, the better this option looked. This would give him a chance to come up with something.

But finding the right words was easier said than done. The next morning, Juvia wouldn't even look at him. On the bright side, it did stop raining so she wasn't as depressed as she was yesterday. Even so, he was never good at comforting crying girls. The fact that the water mage was his girlfriend now made no difference, he supposed. Perhaps it was a good thing then, that Juvia wasn't sitting next to him, taking instead the seat at the end of the bar. The ice mage waited until the end of the day, contenting himself with watching her from the corner of his eye. Then, when everyone had left, he walked over to her.

"Can I sit here?" Gray asked.

"Juvia has no problem if he does or doesn't." She said glibly, refusing to look at him.

That wasn't a very Juvia thing to say. Usually, she would be excited to sit next to the man she loved. This Juvia was very subdued. He didn't like it.

"Can we talk?" He pressed.

"Why doesn't Gray-sama talk to Lucy-san?" Juvia spat acidly. "She's girlfriend material after all."

Gray sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "So you heard that."

"Juvia understands." She huffed, still looking at her warm beer. "Lucy-san is beautiful and kind and fun to be around and everything Juvia is not. If she is who Gray-sama wants, Juvia will not stand in your way."

The ice mage groaned. He hated when she put herself down. It was really hard to break her out of this funk. "Do you think that I'm that shallow, Juvia?"

She looked at him for the first time, a mixture of shock and penitence on her face for thinking such a blasphemous thought.

"I'm not going to lie and say that Lucy isn't cute because that would be a lie." He began. "But that doesn't mean I want to date her."

"You said that she was girlfriend material, something you didn't call your current girlfriend." She pointed out. "Is Juvia not girlfriend material?"

"You are so much more than girlfriend material." Gray's statement came out more like an outburst than a declaratory sentence, shocking Juvia. The ice mage blushed at raising his voice. He took a deep breath and continued. "You're someone who has my back in a fight, someone I can rely on without hesitation. You take care of me. You look out for me. You've saved me on more than one occasion. Hell, you did what I couldn't do in giving my father peace. You are more than just my girlfriend. You're...someone I can't live without."

Juvia's eyes began to water. She had no idea that this is how Gray felt. To think that she had such an impact on the man she loved. It was world changing to say the least.

"Does Gray-sama really believe that?" She asked, hoping that she had heard right.

"Am I a guy who lies?" He asked back.

Juvia shook her head vigorously. One of Gray's best qualities was that he was honest whenever he said anything to her. It rocked her world to hear how important she was to him.

"Maybe this is my fault a bit." Gray mumbled while scratching his cheek. "Perhaps I should just tell everyone that we're dating."

Juvia felt out of her chair, causing Gray to panic. However, he was instantly relieved when he saw hearts in her eyes. His girlfriend was a silly one, fainting out of love. He smirked. This girl might one day be the death of him. But what a way to go.

* * *

And that's the end of the chapter.

So, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Send me a review. I'd love to hear from you. And you can follow me on Tumblr if that's your bag. My screen name is leonalmalsy.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

So this is part three of the Gruvia Week stories. I had meant to put this out earlier but there was a storm that refused to let me on the internet. But never fear. It is finally done. Enjoy. Or don't. I can't tell you what to do.

* * *

 **Journey**

It is said that life is not about the destination; it is about the journey. Perhaps there is something to that say, Gray thought as he watched the woman he loved sitting on their porch swing.

They started out as enemies. She was a member of the Phantom Lord's Elements Four, the one who kidnapped Lucy. Gray was ready to fight, but Juvia took one look at him and fell hard. Of course, they did end up fighting. The ice mage did end up winning and, in the process, showed her the clear blue sky for the first time. For someone who was in the dark for so long, to see the sun was a powerful thing.

The next time they met, she was an independent mage looking to join Fairy Tail. She had found him at that resort, sporting a brooch with his guild's insignia. It was almost cheeky but Gray had to respect that attitude. When Erza was captured, Juvia went out of her way to help them rescue the knight. She wasn't obligated to do that but she did so anyways. If Gray was being honest with himself, that's when the first positive feelings towards Juvia started to develop.

The next time stop on his journey was Tenrou Island. They were both fighting to become S class. However, their test was interrupted by Grimoire Heart. Gray had missed most of what happened because he was following someone who looked like his teacher, Ur. However, in the middle of his following her, a strange crest formed on his hand. Soon, he started feeling lightheaded. But afterwards, pain came. (He would only later learn that this was a result of Meredy's magic.) The ice mage would have written that off as weird if it wasn't for what happened next. Urtear had tried to kill Juvia. Without hesitating, he had jumped in and saved the water mage. No matter who it was, no one was going to take Juvia away from him.

Gray remembered the Grand Magic Games next, particularly how annoying Lyon was when he saw Juvia. That idiot. Did he really believe that he could just waltz into his guild and hit on his teammate? Then he had the audacity to make a bet to have Juvia join his guild? Was he out of his mind? And Juvia, being Juvia, believes that he was in love with Lyon. If Gray had been honest with himself at this time, he would have recognized that what he was feeling was jealousy. He didn't like it when Lyon showered Juvia with attention. And he also didn't like when she blushed at anyone other than him. Of course, that was back when he was a stubborn idiot. He's different now.

When the dragons attack Crocus, it was one of the scariest moments of his life. He had always prided himself on being strong but when he came up against something that was considerably stronger, well that threw his world out of focus. While dragons in and of themselves were terrifying, what truly scared him was almost losing Juvia. She was nearly killed by the dragons' attack and only his intervention saved her and Meredy. True, he may have barked at the water mage to pay attention but that was only because he was afraid of losing her. Thankfully, the dragons disappeared after the Zodiac gate was destroyed. (There are nights where he remembers sacrificing his life to save hers. It was scary. He could feel the beams piercing his body, his head. He could see the horrified look on Juvia's face when he died. It was almost real.)

The day that Juvia came to Gray and told him that she was responsible for his father's death nearly broke him. It must have been difficult for her, to live with the thought she would hurt the man she loved by killing Silver. The pain was still raw for him, to lose his father once again. But even in the midst of his grief, the ice mage understood that it needed to be done. The torrent of emotion threatened to overwhelm him. That day, he held onto Juvia like a lifeline, hugging her until the pain was gone. Juvia hugged him back, not saying a word but in her hug, letting him know that everything was going to be alright.

Gray had many scary moments in his life. But the one that topped them all was the one where he and Juvia were chained to each other and forced to do battle to the death. He didn't want to fight her. He didn't want to hurt her. But the chain around their necks were slowly removing the ability to fight back. He couldn't allow himself to hurt Juvia, the woman who was most precious to him. So, he did the only thing he could think of; he committed suicide. It was only after he had done so that he realized that Juvia had the same idea. Watching as the life drained from her eyes will forever be burned in his mind. But it was when the ice mage felt the sensations of life returning that his horror turned to tragedy. Juvia had used the last of her magic to give Gray a blood transfusion, returning him to life. Once again, someone he loved died saving him. Holding her lifeless body in his hands, he raged at the unfairness of the world. (It was a good thing that she came back to him. Otherwise, he would be nothing but a broken shell.)

He had survived much to get to today. Many years have passed. Gray and Juvia have been married for almost seven years. They bought a house together and have raised a beautiful daughter, Uriel. Standing on their front porch, he watched as his wife sitting on their porch swing, knitting. Their daughter was watching in rapt attention.

"Mama." Uriel tugged on her mother's sleeve. "Is that for the baby?"

Juvia smiled and put a hand on her belly. Gray couldn't help but smile as well at the newest edition to the Fullbuster household growing inside of his wife. The two of them had survived hardship and heartache to get to this moment. It was well worth it.

"Yes, Ur-chan." Juvia whispered. "Soon, you will be a big sister. Oh!" She gasped.

"What happened, mama?" The little girl asked, concerned.

"Mama can feel the baby kicking." Juvia answered her daughter.

"Can I feel it?"

Juvia took her daughter's hand and placed it on her belly. Gray watched as Uriel's face lit up when she felt the baby kick against her hand. She turned to her father. "Papa, I can feel it. I can feel the baby kicking."

Gray smiled, a real smile that he reserved for his family. "Is that so?" He asked. "Your little brother or sister must know that Big Sister is there."

"Yeah. Come feel it."

Uriel wasted no time grabbing her father's hand and putting it on Juvia's belly. Just like his daughter said, he could feel the faint kicking of his child. A wave of love washed over him. Looking into his wife's eyes, she felt the same way. The journey may have been difficult but it was well worth it.

"Did you feel it, Papa?" Uriel asked.

"I did." Gray smiled. "And that makes me so happy. I've finally arrived where I'm suppose to be."

* * *

And that's the end of that chapter.

This is a bit of a clip show fic but I found it interesting to look through some of the biggest moments in Gray and Juvia's story. I feel like it ended a bit abruptly but I didn't want the story to drag on any further. I have a tendency to run on and on. I need to learn to make full stops on stories.

So, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	4. Chapter 4

Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

Thank you for the kind reviews. I know I'm not the most consistent of writers, what with my busy schedule. But it's nice to feel appreciated when I post. So here's part four.

* * *

 **Photograph**

"Wow!" Juvia gasped in amazement. "Look, Gray-sama. This town went all out for the festival."

Gray couldn't help but agree.

After Fairy Tail's disbandment, he and Juvia moved to the outskirts of a town named Aster. Most of their time was devoted to training, doing small requests from the townspeople, and keeping an ear to the ground on the whereabouts of Zeref. This is what they've been doing for the last five months. Today was different. The other day, while visiting the town for supplies, Juvia had heard of Aster's Harvest festival. The water mage was instantly enamored with the idea of seeing it with her own eyes.

"Look at all the colors." Juvia's surprise couldn't be contained looking at the gold and orange coloring of the decorated lampposts, the signs hanging from each portcullis announcing the festival. "Juvia hasn't seen anything like it. It's so pretty."

Gray had to agree. Although Magnolia's Fairy Festival was better in his opinion, Aster's Harvest Festival wasn't half bad. He was glad that Juvia dragged him here. However, unbeknownst to the water mage, he had an ulterior motive in bringing her here.

Gray was trying to master the power of the Devil Slayer his father had passed down to him in order to use that against Zeref. He learned that in order to get that form to work, he needed to drown himself in a place of hatred, rage, and revenge. It was a potent mixture of emotion and very addictive. The more he used it, the more he needed it, and the more he needed it, the more it threatened to overrun him. It came to a head last night when Juvia saw him half-drenched in the black power after complaining about him leaving his clothes on the floor. There was a look of fear that flashed before her eyes. It struck him clear to the core, dissipating the power. He could still see that look every time he closed his eyes. He hated that look. That was the first time she had ever looked at him like that and it made him feel sick. After a sickening amount of silence, Juvia told him that dinner will be ready in an hour, never once looking at him. He thanked her and told Juvia that he needed some time to cool off and that he would be back before dinner. Gray got dressed and walked towards the town in an effort to clear his head. That's when he ran into Erza.

To say that he was surprised would be putting it mildly. But it was a welcome surprise. The two went to town to talk and catch up. Apparently, she was running with Jellal's crew, hunting dark guilds. Of course, Erza wouldn't remain idle. In exchange, Gray told her about his living with Juvia (no, not in that way) and about his trying to master the Ice Devil Slayer magic. It was easier to open up to Erza about his fears of his magic than it would be to Juvia. Juvia would worry over him. Plus the look of fear in her eyes was too much to bear. Erza, however, would listen with her stone face without judgement.

After he had finished, Erza told him about a dark guild she was hunting. Their name was Avatar. The problem was that she couldn't find them and bring them to justice. They were very selective of their targets and recruits. The Knight then explained to Gray that she needed someone on the inside to tell her and Jellal what was going on. It could be a way to master the power without putting Juvia in harm's way. There was only one catch. He couldn't tell anyone about his infiltrating the guild. That included Juvia. The less people who knew, the better it would be. Gray wholeheartedly agreed.

"Gray-sama." Juvia called out to him, snapping him back to reality.

"Sorry. Lost in thought." He murmured.

Juvia gave him a megawatt smile that brightened her whole face. A pang of guilt shot through him. Gray knew that this was the last time he was going to see Juvia before he went undercover. He wanted to make this day special for her. There was a part of him that told yelled at the ice mage to tell her the truth. She deserved the truth, even if Erza told him not to say anything. She loved him. She spent the last six months with him helping him hone his powers.

"So where do you want to go first?" He asked. He wasn't going to tell her about his fears of the power boiling inside of him. She didn't deserve to be burdened with his problems. There was only one thing he could do for her: give her the best day of her life before he left. It was cruel, yes. But Gray knew that she was strong. She would be able to endure this.

"Juvia wants to take a picture so that she will remember this day." She smiled and the pang of guilt became a tidal wave.

"Sure."

That was the last day he saw her. Later that night, he snuck out of their shared house and left to meet up with Erza. Soon after, he joined the dark guild Avatar.

Avatar was decidedly different from Fairy Tail. Instead of the raucous and fun environment, everyone here was dark and broody. There were no get togethers that weren't meetings, no drinking, no games. Each of the members left each other to their own devices. This was perfect for Gray. He could develop his Devil Slayer power in peace. He could maintain it for longer now, keeping a black tinge about him at all times. Without worrying about hurting someone he cared about deeply, he could stay in that pit of hatred, rage, and revenge.

However, whenever the turbulent emotions threatened to overwhelm him, he would dig in his pocket and find the one thing that brought him back to normal. It was a photograph of his and Juvia's last day together at the Harvest Festival. Juvia had his arms around his waist and giving the camera a brilliant smile. Gray had his arm around her shoulder. His was a smaller smile but conveyed so much of what he felt about the girl in the photograph.

Someday, someday soon, he would return to Juvia. Then he could explain everything. Until then, he had to play his part. All for the sake of Zeref...

* * *

And that's the end of that chapter.

There's a part of me that wishes I could draw. To see the photo would make for a bigger impact. Oh well.

Loved it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	5. Chapter 5

Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

This chapter was more difficult to write than the previous ones. I had no idea where I wanted to go in this story. Originally, it was going to be a sappy one. But then this idea hit me. So I went to work. And here it is. Enjoy or don't.

* * *

 **Irreplaceable**

The battle was over. Avatar was defeated and arrested. Gray could finally breathe a sigh of relief now that his secret mission was over. He didn't have to remain in his taxing Devil Slayer form anymore. He could be a regular mage. More importantly, he could go home.

Home.

Now there was a loaded word if ever there was one. Because now, the word "Home" didn't mean a physical building in a fixed location. It was evolving.

He turned to Juvia, the woman he had lived with for the past six months and frowned. She was smiling with Levy and Gajeel, talking about something. However, he noticed that the smile didn't reach her eyes. It was almost haunting. Sure, she had his back during the fight. She even got jealous when Frosch monopolized his attention with his cuteness. But even so, he couldn't help but feel an emotional distance between them. He didn't like it.

The ride on the train back to Magnolia was quiet. Lucy was reading a book. Happy was eating fish. Lily was drinking kiwi juice. Erza was staring wistfully out the window. Wendy and Charle were asleep. The only sounds were from the pitiful groans out of Natsu and Gajeel's mouths. He watched as Levy comforted him by stroking his long hair. Gray's eyebrows furrowed. Since when have they been this close? What happened in the year since Fairy Tail's disbandment that changed their relationship? The ice mage left that question alone when he noticed that Juvia wasn't with them. She must have moved to another train car. He had slipped away from the group without anyone noticing.

Gray made his way from one car to the next until he reached the dining car. That's when he saw Juvia sitting in one of the booths, a depressed look on her face. He didn't like it. He walked up to her.

"Can I sit here?" He asked. The lack of a blush on her face troubled the ice mage. But he didn't say anything.

Juvia nodded. Gray obliged and sat next to her.

"Are you okay?" He pressed.

"Juvia is fine." She tried to give him a convincing smile but once again, it didn't reach her eyes. She was trying to make him feel better but she failed.

The ice mage ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You're not fine." He said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Juvia shook her head. Gray sighed. It was unusual that the water mage was this tight-lipped. She normally had no problem gushing about her feelings. So what changed?

That's when Lucy's words hit him. The Celestial Spirit mage informed him about Juvia's state after he left her. Her rain had come back in full force. She stayed up days just staring into the horizon, waiting for him to return. She worried herself sick.

Gray pursed his lips in anger. He was an idiot of Natsu-like proportions. Did he really believe he could disappear for six months and reappear like nothing happened? Should he have expected everything to be the same as when he left? What an idiot he was.

"I'm sorry." He huffed, more in anger at himself than anything.

Juvia gave him a curious look. "What for?"

"For not telling you where I was for the last six months." He explained.

"Oh." Juvia whispered. "It's okay."

The fact that Juvia was trying to brush off his absence for the last six months was disconcerting. "Don't say that." He snapped. "I know you're mad at me for not telling you where I was. Lucy told me what happened to you. Your rain came back."

Juvia shook her head, her blue tresses gently wafting. "Juvia isn't mad." She insisted. "Erza told her everything. She understands that Gray-sama needed to infiltrate the dark guild. She is glad that Gray-sama was able to play his part to win the day."

"So then why aren't you happy?" He asked.

"Juvia is happy that Gray-sama is back." She replied but the ice mage was unconvinced.

"You say that but your smile doesn't reach your eyes." He noted.

Juvia frowned and looked away. "Juvia isn't mad." She repeated. "But she is sad. Sad that Gray-sama didn't tell Juvia where he was going. Sad that Juvia didn't know whether or not Gray-sama was okay. Sad that Juvia waited day after day for Gray-sama to return. Sad that Gray-sama didn't trust Juvia enough to tell her about the mission."

Each statement felt like an accusation that stabbed him through the heart. He wanted to say something, anything, to stop this pain from hurting him. But his words died on his lips.

"But most of all, Juvia is sad that Gray-sama suffered by himself all this time and she couldn't do anything about it."

Juvia was about to say more but Gray, in an uncharacteristic move, hugged her. "I'm sorry." He said, tightening his grip. "I never meant to hurt you by leaving. I wanted to protect you."

"Then why?" Juvia could feel her tears staining his shirt. Was she crying? When did she start to cry?

"This power in me, the Devil Slayer power, my father entrusted me with this power." He said, holding onto her like a lifeline. "But it comes from a place of darkness and rage. I don't like it. But I need it in order to defeat Zeref. That day you saw me with the power, you had such fear in your eyes. I don't want you to be afraid of me."

"Gray-sama."

"I'm scared, Juvia." He admitted. "Scared that this power can hurt the people I care about. That's why I left to infiltrate Avatar. If I hurt them with the power, it wouldn't matter. But if I hurt you…. I cannot let you be hurt by this power. If anything were to happen to you because of me, I would never forgive myself. I cannot lose you. You have become…irreplaceable to me."

"Juvia believes in Gray-sama." She whispered.

Gray held her in his arms for a while, not caring if anyone saw them. He needed to comfort himself in her presence. Somehow, she had wormed her way into his heart and lodged there. And, more shocking than that, he wanted her there.

"Welcome home, Gray-sama." She whispered.

And with that, he knew everything would be okay. Not all at once, but soon,. It made him happy.

"I'm home."

* * *

And that's the end of the chapter.

I didn't like the way Mashima glossed over the fact that Gray abandons Juvia for six months and then nothing comes of it. One would expect at least a conversation to take place. So I wrote this as a response.

So, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

So this is chapter six of Gruvia week. If I recall correctly, this idea was already done last year. But whatever. I'll do it again this year. But this time, I'll attack it from a different angle. So please enjoy.

* * *

 **Nightmares**

"Papa." A tiny voice called out to Gray Fullbuster in the middle of the night, grabbing him out of his slumber. As bleary eyes focused in the black night, he saw his three-year-old son, Argent, standing in the doorway of his and Juvia's room. He was holding a teru-teru bozu, one that his mother had made for him. If the ice mage wasn't so sleepy, he would think his son was ridiculously adorable, dressed in a powder-blue onesie, dragging the doll with one hand and rubbing his eye with the other. It made his heart swell to know that he was partly responsible for creating such a cute kid.

"Argent." He murmured sleepily, shifting into a position to answer his son. "What's wrong?"

"Bad dream." The little boy whimpered. The tears in his eyes were evident of that.

Hearing that brought Gray woke him up. "Okay. Come here." He patted a space on the bed. Argent obediently went to the bed and lied down next to his father. Afterwards, he gently wiped the tears from his son's eyes with his thumb.

"Papa, where Mama?" Argent asked as he snuggled against the warmth of his father.

"Mama is out on a mission with Uncle Gajeel, remember." He reminded his son, stroking his cheek. Argent inherited his messy hair that no brush could tame. But thankfully, his son also inherited his mother's eyes. There are days where he could actually see the man Argent would become and he couldn't be prouder.. "She will be back any day now."

Argent frowned. "Miss Mama." His son was such a mama's boy. But that's okay. Juvia was pretty awesome. "Me too, Argent."

"Papa, where Ur-chan?" Argent asked about his sister. Despite the six year age gap, the little boy idolized his sister.

"Uriel is having a sleepover with Reimi and Yosei at Auntie Levy's house, remember?" He answered softly. "She'll be back tomorrow."

"Oh." The little boy huffed cutely. "Miss Ur-chan."

Gray smirked. His kid was so full of love. He could hardly believe that he was his father. He wanted to keep him like this forever, never knowing the hardship that ice mage endured. And he'll do his damnedest to make sure that his son grows into a man that can love just as freely.

"Let's go to sleep. By the time we wake up, we can go see Uriel and the others in the guild." Gray suggested.

"Argent doesn't want sleep." The little boy shook his head. "Bad dream."

"What was your bad dream about?" The ice mage asked.

"Argent dreamed Papa and Mama and Ur-chan don't love Argent no more." His son whimpered. "Leave Argent alone."

"You listen to me, Argent." Gray replied with authority. "Your Papa and your Mama loves you very much, long before the time you were growing inside Mama's belly. And your sister loved you the day you were born. We love you so much. We would never leave you."

"Promise?" That was Argent's new favorite word ever since Uriel taught it to him.

"Promise promise." That was the response the Fullbuster family gave their youngest child.

Argent hugged his father with his chubby arms, a hug that Gray returned with equal fervor. He was so glad to have survived to this day. Gray had a wife who loved him, two children who adored him, and a guild that was more family than wizard association. He couldn't ask for more.

"Argent want story." He begged.

Gray sighed. "I'm not really good with bedtime stories. That's more Mama's department."

"Please story." His son pleaded. Looking in his watery blue eyes, he couldn't say no.

"Okay. Okay. Then bedtime." When his son nodded, Gray began. "Once there was a little girl. She was very sad because it always used to rain on her. No one wanted to be her friend because she brought the rain."

"Why it rain on girl?" Argent asked his father.

I don't know." He replied. "But it rained on the girl every day until one day, she met a boy. That boy was able to make it stop raining so the girl could see the sun for the first time. That day, the girl fell in love with the boy."

"Then what?" Argent asked, yawning. His little body couldn't stay up any longer.

"Then the boy took the girl with him to meet his friends." Gray yawned right back. "And little by little, the girl began to smile. She had friends, lots of friends."

"Did boy like girl?" Argent murmured sleepily against his father's chest.

"Well, it took a while, but eventually, the boy fell in love with the girl." Gray responded. "They got married and had two beautiful children who they loved very much and would do anything for. And they lived happily ever after with their friends."

Almost immediately, Argent had fallen asleep in his father's arms. Gray placed a kiss on his son's hair. "Good night, my happily ever after." He whispered and joined him in sleep. "No more nightmares."

That's how Juvia found them early in the morning. One of Gray's arms were wrapped protectively around their son while the other was sprawled out. Both father and son had the Fullbuster frown on their face. It was so adorable. She wanted to engrave this memory in her heart.

* * *

And that's the end of the chapter.

The last time I wrote on nightmares, it was on Juvia's fear of being dumped by Gray and Gray's fear of Juvia dying. So I did something different.

Loved it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel


	7. Chapter 7

Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

So this is the end of Gruvia week. And of course, we will have to end it on the last Gruvia scene in the manga. If you want my opinion, I found it a bit underwhelming. You would think that after Acknologia's death a year ago, they would be closer. I can't imagine that their relationship could be low-key considering it's Juvia. However, it was kinda funny to see Gray acting jealous, not wanting anyone but him to see Juvia's near naked body.

This is what Fanfiction is about, fleshing out moments that the original author didn't add. Hopefully you will have enjoyed this last entry.

* * *

 **You're Mine**

"Your body is something I care about because you're mine."

Those were the words her beloved Gray-sama said. It reverberated in her brain and shook her very soul. It felt like it was the culmination of everything she ever wished for as a child. How far she had come, from that unloved, unwanted child to a woman finally receiving the reciprocal feelings of the man she loved.

"I used to be afraid." Gray admitted, staring at the scar on Juvia's beautiful body. "The people I cared about, the people I loved, they died. Mom and dad died protecting me. I didn't know it then but I started putting up walls around me."

Juvia's eyelids lowered in pain. She too knew the suffering of losing someone dear.

"Then Ur came. She was a tough woman but she taught me everything I knew. Whether it was about magic or life, she was my whole world. Before I knew it, the walls I had tried to set up had fallen down again, replaced with Ur." Gray balled up his fist and bit the knuckle of his thumb. Juvia could hear sniffling coming from her beloved. "But I had to go and fight Deliora. And because of my stupid mistake, Ur…Ur sacrificed her life for me."

"Gray-sama." Juvia whispered.

"So I put up my walls again." Gray continued, rubbing his eyes with the inside of his arm. "I joined Fairy Tail and even though I made friends with the people there, I refused to open up. I didn't want to let them get too close just in case one of them died. Failed there as well because they became my best friends, people I would put my life on the line for.

Gray snorted. Then he looked Juvia in the eyes. It was a powerful look, one that felt like he was looking into her very soul.

"And then you came along. You kept pushing and pushing, wanting me to return your feelings." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He was never the mushy type but now that the words started, he couldn't get himself to stop. That was fine though. She deserved to know everything inside his heart. "I didn't want to let you get too close. I didn't want to love you because everyone I've ever loved has died in front of me. So I kept you at a distance. And yet, you kept coming."

Juvia couldn't find her voice. To see her Gray-sama open himself in front of her was more than she could have ever hoped.

Resolve crossed his face. "Seeing you come so close to death that day frightened me. I've lost so many people. Losing you too would have broken me beyond repair."

"Juvia would never leave Gray-sama, not of her own accord." She piped in.

"I know." He smiled. It was a small smile but it was there nonetheless. "And you know what? When you came back to me, I knew that I couldn't be scared to love anymore. I couldn't shut myself in. Otherwise, I would be afraid to live."

His eyes roved back to her scar. "Looking at that scar reminds me of the time I nearly lost you. But now that I think about it, it also tells me that you are the one who came back to me."

Gray took a kneeling position next to Juvia and took her hand in his. "I'm done being scared. I'm not going to live in fear of the unknown anymore."

Juvia's words were caught in her throat at seeing the intense stare in her beloved's eyes. Tears of joy streamed down her face.

"I don't know if this is going to work out." The ice mage told her. "I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. I can't promise you riches. I'm not even sure that I can make you happy. But, I will give you all of me, without holding back. I will do my best to love you the way you deserve to be loved."

Gray leaned in and placed a kiss under her eyes to stem her tears. "You belong to me now just as I belong to you. I hope you can handle that."

The water mage couldn't take it anymore. She leaped at her Gray-sama and wrapped her arms around him. Finally, after all of this time, her dream came true.

* * *

And that's the end of that chapter.

Like I've said in previous stories, I believe that the crux of understanding why Gray was so hesitant to return Juvia's feelings was that he was scared. Unconsciously, he kept his distance so that even if he was hurt, he would be able to endure the pain of loss. Too bad for him Juvia, more so than any other woman in this media, was the persistent type. After Invel nearly stole her future, he would make sure she had a happy one with him in it. By this point, he was done running away and wondering what if she dies. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a long and silly life together.

Anyways, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

A. Angel


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